Rip currents & big surf, month by month around the world

Red flags for weeks at a time; the calm-looking water is the one that pulls people out.

This is a warning page, not a recommendation. Rip currents & big surf covers 9 destinations on SeasonMap; the months below are the ones in which the risk window is open — most weeks in them pass quietly, and the score beside each place is still the ordinary climate score, hazard and all.

← All seasonsThe world's calendar

When it is on

Number of destinations with rip currents & big surf on in that month. Windows move a little each year.

Rip currents & big surf in January

  1. Raglan 🇳🇿 New ZealandNgarunui Beach rips · 1 Dec – 31 Mar (usually)Raglan's surf club carries out more rescues than any other in New Zealand, most of them at Ngarunui, where rips and holes catch swimmers outside the flags.86
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.70
  3. Vík 🇮🇸 IcelandSneaker waves at Reynisfjara · 15 Sep – 30 Apr (usually)The black beach kills people.23

What's on around the world in January →

Rip currents & big surf in February

  1. Raglan 🇳🇿 New ZealandNgarunui Beach rips · 1 Dec – 31 Mar (usually)Raglan's surf club carries out more rescues than any other in New Zealand, most of them at Ngarunui, where rips and holes catch swimmers outside the flags.87
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.65
  3. Vík 🇮🇸 IcelandSneaker waves at Reynisfjara · 15 Sep – 30 Apr (usually)The black beach kills people.30

What's on around the world in February →

Rip currents & big surf in March

  1. Raglan 🇳🇿 New ZealandNgarunui Beach rips · 1 Dec – 31 Mar (usually)Raglan's surf club carries out more rescues than any other in New Zealand, most of them at Ngarunui, where rips and holes catch swimmers outside the flags.89
  2. Destin 🇺🇸 United StatesRip currents and beach flags · 1 Mar – 31 OctLifeguards and the coloured flag system run through the warm months, and double red means the water is legally closed.88
  3. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.63
  4. Vík 🇮🇸 IcelandSneaker waves at Reynisfjara · 15 Sep – 30 Apr (usually)The black beach kills people.41

What's on around the world in March →

Rip currents & big surf in April

  1. Destin 🇺🇸 United StatesRip currents and beach flags · 1 Mar – 31 OctLifeguards and the coloured flag system run through the warm months, and double red means the water is legally closed.86
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.62
  3. Vík 🇮🇸 IcelandSneaker waves at Reynisfjara · 15 Sep – 30 Apr (usually)The black beach kills people.54

What's on around the world in April →

Rip currents & big surf in May

  1. Destin 🇺🇸 United StatesRip currents and beach flags · 1 Mar – 31 OctLifeguards and the coloured flag system run through the warm months, and double red means the water is legally closed.75
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.62
  3. Phuket 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the west coast · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)The southwest monsoon puts swell and rip currents onto Patong, Karon and Kata; lifeguards fly red flags for days at a time and most drownings happen in these months.47
  4. Khao Lak 🇹🇭 ThailandSouthwest monsoon and red flags · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)Rip currents on this stretch of coast are the real risk, and the red flags go up for weeks at a time.46
  5. Krabi 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the beaches · 15 May – 15 Oct (usually)Rip currents along Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara are the genuine danger of the low season and the flags go up for weeks at a time.44

What's on around the world in May →

Rip currents & big surf in June

  1. Hossegor 🇫🇷 FranceBaines and shore break · 15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)Deep channels behind the sandbanks drag swimmers out between mid and low tide, and at high tide the shore break at Centrale and La Graviere can injure.85
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.64
  3. Destin 🇺🇸 United StatesRip currents and beach flags · 1 Mar – 31 OctLifeguards and the coloured flag system run through the warm months, and double red means the water is legally closed.60
  4. Krabi 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the beaches · 15 May – 15 Oct (usually)Rip currents along Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara are the genuine danger of the low season and the flags go up for weeks at a time.55
  5. Phuket 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the west coast · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)The southwest monsoon puts swell and rip currents onto Patong, Karon and Kata; lifeguards fly red flags for days at a time and most drownings happen in these months.52
  6. Khao Lak 🇹🇭 ThailandSouthwest monsoon and red flags · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)Rip currents on this stretch of coast are the real risk, and the red flags go up for weeks at a time.51
  7. Goa 🇮🇳 IndiaSwimming banned on the beaches · 1 Jun – 30 Sep (usually)The state lifeguard service red-flags the entire coast for the monsoon and swimming is prohibited on most beaches.41

What's on around the world in June →

Rip currents & big surf in July

  1. Hossegor 🇫🇷 FranceBaines and shore break · 15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)Deep channels behind the sandbanks drag swimmers out between mid and low tide, and at high tide the shore break at Centrale and La Graviere can injure.91
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.65
  3. Destin 🇺🇸 United StatesRip currents and beach flags · 1 Mar – 31 OctLifeguards and the coloured flag system run through the warm months, and double red means the water is legally closed.57
  4. Krabi 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the beaches · 15 May – 15 Oct (usually)Rip currents along Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara are the genuine danger of the low season and the flags go up for weeks at a time.52
  5. Phuket 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the west coast · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)The southwest monsoon puts swell and rip currents onto Patong, Karon and Kata; lifeguards fly red flags for days at a time and most drownings happen in these months.50
  6. Khao Lak 🇹🇭 ThailandSouthwest monsoon and red flags · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)Rip currents on this stretch of coast are the real risk, and the red flags go up for weeks at a time.49
  7. Goa 🇮🇳 IndiaSwimming banned on the beaches · 1 Jun – 30 Sep (usually)The state lifeguard service red-flags the entire coast for the monsoon and swimming is prohibited on most beaches.39

What's on around the world in July →

Rip currents & big surf in August

  1. Hossegor 🇫🇷 FranceBaines and shore break · 15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)Deep channels behind the sandbanks drag swimmers out between mid and low tide, and at high tide the shore break at Centrale and La Graviere can injure.88
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.66
  3. Destin 🇺🇸 United StatesRip currents and beach flags · 1 Mar – 31 OctLifeguards and the coloured flag system run through the warm months, and double red means the water is legally closed.55
  4. Krabi 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the beaches · 15 May – 15 Oct (usually)Rip currents along Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara are the genuine danger of the low season and the flags go up for weeks at a time.53
  5. Phuket 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the west coast · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)The southwest monsoon puts swell and rip currents onto Patong, Karon and Kata; lifeguards fly red flags for days at a time and most drownings happen in these months.50
  6. Khao Lak 🇹🇭 ThailandSouthwest monsoon and red flags · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)Rip currents on this stretch of coast are the real risk, and the red flags go up for weeks at a time.48
  7. Goa 🇮🇳 IndiaSwimming banned on the beaches · 1 Jun – 30 Sep (usually)The state lifeguard service red-flags the entire coast for the monsoon and swimming is prohibited on most beaches.44

What's on around the world in August →

Rip currents & big surf in September

  1. Hossegor 🇫🇷 FranceBaines and shore break · 15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually)Deep channels behind the sandbanks drag swimmers out between mid and low tide, and at high tide the shore break at Centrale and La Graviere can injure.87
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.69
  3. Destin 🇺🇸 United StatesRip currents and beach flags · 1 Mar – 31 OctLifeguards and the coloured flag system run through the warm months, and double red means the water is legally closed.66
  4. Vík 🇮🇸 IcelandSneaker waves at Reynisfjara · 15 Sep – 30 Apr (usually)The black beach kills people.59
  5. Krabi 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the beaches · 15 May – 15 Oct (usually)Rip currents along Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara are the genuine danger of the low season and the flags go up for weeks at a time.46
  6. Goa 🇮🇳 IndiaSwimming banned on the beaches · 1 Jun – 30 Sep (usually)The state lifeguard service red-flags the entire coast for the monsoon and swimming is prohibited on most beaches.45
  7. Khao Lak 🇹🇭 ThailandSouthwest monsoon and red flags · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)Rip currents on this stretch of coast are the real risk, and the red flags go up for weeks at a time.45
  8. Phuket 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the west coast · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)The southwest monsoon puts swell and rip currents onto Patong, Karon and Kata; lifeguards fly red flags for days at a time and most drownings happen in these months.44

What's on around the world in September →

Rip currents & big surf in October

  1. Destin 🇺🇸 United StatesRip currents and beach flags · 1 Mar – 31 OctLifeguards and the coloured flag system run through the warm months, and double red means the water is legally closed.80
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.63
  3. Vík 🇮🇸 IcelandSneaker waves at Reynisfjara · 15 Sep – 30 Apr (usually)The black beach kills people.47
  4. Krabi 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the beaches · 15 May – 15 Oct (usually)Rip currents along Ao Nang and Nopparat Thara are the genuine danger of the low season and the flags go up for weeks at a time.45
  5. Khao Lak 🇹🇭 ThailandSouthwest monsoon and red flags · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)Rip currents on this stretch of coast are the real risk, and the red flags go up for weeks at a time.44
  6. Phuket 🇹🇭 ThailandRed flags on the west coast · 15 May – 31 Oct (usually)The southwest monsoon puts swell and rip currents onto Patong, Karon and Kata; lifeguards fly red flags for days at a time and most drownings happen in these months.43

What's on around the world in October →

Rip currents & big surf in November

  1. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.63
  2. Vík 🇮🇸 IcelandSneaker waves at Reynisfjara · 15 Sep – 30 Apr (usually)The black beach kills people.35

What's on around the world in November →

Rip currents & big surf in December

  1. Raglan 🇳🇿 New ZealandNgarunui Beach rips · 1 Dec – 31 Mar (usually)Raglan's surf club carries out more rescues than any other in New Zealand, most of them at Ngarunui, where rips and holes catch swimmers outside the flags.81
  2. Palomino 🇨🇴 ColombiaStrong currents at the beach · 1 Jan – 31 DecPalomino ranks among the most dangerous beaches on the Colombian Caribbean: the river mouth makes whirlpools and rips, and tourists drown here most years.65
  3. Vík 🇮🇸 IcelandSneaker waves at Reynisfjara · 15 Sep – 30 Apr (usually)The black beach kills people.26

What's on around the world in December →